2 NJ cities achieve perfect scores for LGBTQ inclusion

Jersey City appeared was rated with a perfect score for the second consecutive year. - (AARON HOUSTON/NJBIZ FILE PHOTO)

Jersey City and Hoboken received perfect scores on the Human Rights Campaign’s 2018 Municipal Equality Index, released this week.

The Hudson County cities were two of 78 to achieve perfect scores across the country in the seventh annual evaluation of LGBTQ inclusion in municipal law, policy and services.

Hoboken’s score improved eight points over last year to help it reach the 100-point rating, while Jersey City is marking its second consecutive year with a perfect score.

Ten additional New Jersey cities were included in this year’s rankings. Of them, only Asbury Park and Princeton had scores decrease in value, with the former falling to 91 from its 2017 rating of 95, and the latter dropping to 76 from last year’s 84.

New Brunswick and Elizabeth had the biggest increase in rating over last year, each gaining 14 points to bring their respective scores to 65 and 73.

The MEI has ranked the same 506 cities — this year, representing a total population of 94,237,171 people — for the past three years. Cities included are the capital of each state, the country’s 200 largest cities, the five largest municipalities or cities in each state, the cities home to each state’s two largest public universities, 78 cities or municipalities with the highest proportion of same-sex couples and 98 additional cities selected by HRC and Equality Federation group members and supporters.

Cities not ranked by the MEI may self-submit by contacting the organization. Woodbury was one of four cities nationwide to do so this year.